It's the third time the house has been on the market since 2009.

Former governor Deval Patrick and his wife Diane have sold their six-bedroom, 6,880 square-foot house in Milton for $1.2 million, reports the Boston Globe.

The new homeowners are Geoffrey Lewis and his wife Corey. At the time of the couple's 2009 wedding announcement, Geoffrey Lewis was an associate at the Boston investment firm Sverica International, and Corey Bennett was manager of strategy and market research at Boston Beer Company and an overseer at the Huntington Theater Company.

Located on three-quarters of an acre in Milton's Columbine Cliffs neighborhood, the house features nine fireplaces, a sweeping front staircase, high ceilings, contemporary kitchen, breakfast room, playroom, four and one-half baths, porches and a fountain, according to the Boston Business Journal.

It's the third time the house has been on the market. In 2009, the Patricks listed the house for $1.9 million, but it didn't sell. In 2012, they lowered the price to $1.5 million, again with no luck.

The Patricks bought the house on Hinckley Road for $560,000 in 1989, and that's where they raised their two daughters. The empty-nesters held an estate sale in May where they unloaded furniture, rugs, a grand piano, silverware, garden tools and momentos.

It's unclear where the Patricks are moving, but the couple still owns a summer home in the Berkshire County town of Richmond.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders threw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton's plan to grow investments in community health centers Saturday, calling it "an important step forward in expanding health care in America."

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders threw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton's plan to grow investments in community health centers Saturday, calling it "an important step forward in expanding health care in America."

Sanders, who is expected to endorse the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee next week, released a statement in support of the health care proposal, on which he said Clinton worked with his campaign.

According to the former first lady's campaign, if elected president Clinton will double funding for primary care services at Federally Qualified Health Centers that deliver community-based care to those with limited access to health care.

Specifically, Clinton's proposal would expand the current mandatory funding by $40 billion over the next decade, her campaign said. She would further affirm her commitment to giving Americans in every state the choice of a public-option insurance plan and allow people 55 and older to opt-in to Medicare.

Although the expected Democratic presidential nominee acknowledged more work needs to be done to ensure universal, quality, affordable health care is available to all Americans, she offered that her plan would build on the work of the Affordable Care Act.

"Already, the Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage to 20 million Americans. As president, I will make sure Republicans never succeed in their attempts to strip away their care and that the remaining uninsured should be able to get the affordable coverage they need to stay healthy," she said in a statement.

Sanders agreed that the goal of health care overhauls in America should be to guarantee health care as a right for all, but called Clinton's proposal an important step toward that end.

"I congratulate Secretary Clinton for this extremely important initiative. It will save lives and ease suffering. It will improve health care and cut health care costs," he said in a statement. "It is a significant step forward as we advance toward the goal of health care for all Americans."

The Vermont senator added that Clinton's plan will address current crises in primary health care, such as access to doctors, dental care, mental health counseling and low-cost prescription drugs.

"Together these steps will get us closer to the day when everyone in America has access to quality, affordable health care," he said of his rival's proposal.

A suburban Minnesota police officer who killed a black driver reacted to the man's gun, not his race, his attorney said Saturday, giving the most detailed account so far of why the officer drew his own weapon.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A suburban Minnesota police officer who killed a black driver reacted to the man's gun, not his race, his attorney said Saturday, giving the most detailed account so far of why the officer drew his own weapon.

Philando Castile's girlfriend, who streamed the immediate aftermath of the shooting live on Facebook, has said he was shot several times after telling the officer he had a gun and a permit to carry it.

St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez was reacting to "the presence of that gun and the display of that gun" when he opened fire on Castile, Minneapolis attorney Thomas Kelly told The Associated Press. He declined to elaborate on how Castile displayed the weapon or what led up to the deadly Wednesday traffic stop.

Reynolds said Castile was shot while reaching for his wallet.

Yanez "was reacting to the actions of the driver," Kelly said. "This had nothing to do with race. This had everything to do with the presence of a gun."

Yanez, who is Latino, is distraught and saddened over the shooting in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, Kelly said.

Falcon Heights, a mostly white community of 5,000, is served primarily by the nearby St. Anthony Police Department.

Authorities say that during the traffic stop, Yanez approached Castile's car from the driver's side and another officer, Joseph Kauser, approached from the passenger side. Yanez opened fire, striking Castile multiple times.

Yanez and Kauser, both four-year veterans, were put on administrative leave, as is standard, authorities said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said several videos, including squad car video, have been collected, though St. Anthony officers don't wear body cameras.

Court records show it was at least the 32nd time Castile had been pulled over in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 2002.

 

Saturday marked a third straight day of protests over Castile's killing, with demonstrators encamped outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul. About 30 protesters formed a circle in the street late in the morning as an organizer pray for peace and togetherness.

Gov. Mark Dayton, who has come out of his residence several times to meet with the protesters, said Friday that he endorsed their right to be there and had no intention of ordering them removed.

Ramsey County Prosecutor John Choi said Friday that the Facebook video is part of what he hoped would be a "prompt and thorough investigation" by the state into Castile's killing late Wednesday.

The following night, five police officers were fatally shot and others were wounded during protests in Dallas over Castile's killing and the fatal police shooting of 37-year-old black man Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after a scuffle with officers outside a convenience store. Authorities identified the Dallas shooter as an Army veteran, who was later killed by police.

Sterling's and Castile's families have denounced the Dallas officers' killings.

"My son would not have approved of the shootings," Valerie Castile told CNN Friday night, "because he believed that all lives matter."

Less than 24 hours after Castile died, Dayton declared that police likely wouldn't have fired if Castile's skin were a different color.

"Would this have happened if those passengers would have been white? I don't think it would have," Dayton said to the crowd outside his residence Thursday.

Dayton said Friday that he stood by that statement and had no new information about the case, even as the head of a law enforcement organization ripped his comments as reckless.

Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, called Gov. Mark Dayton's comments an "extraordinarily presumptive conclusion" that could lead to more violence.

In the video she streamed Wednesday night on Facebook Live, Reynolds describes being pulled over for what the officer told her was a "busted tail light." The video shows her in a car next to a bloodied Castile slumped in a seat.

A clearly distraught person who appears to be a police officer stands at the car's window, tells her to keep her hands up and says: "I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hand out."

"You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir," Reynolds calmly responds.

Montague Police are urging residents to secure their doors and windows at night and be on the lookout for suspicious activity, following a string of reported home break-ins on Friday.

MONTAGUE ‒ Montague Police are urging residents to secure their doors and windows at night and be on the lookout for suspicious activity, following a string of reported home break-ins on Friday.

Several homes in Turners Falls and Montague were broken into and had items taken, Sgt. Lee Laster reported Saturday.

No one was reported injured in relation to the break-ins, he said.

With the point of entry in all the break-ins tied to first floor windows, Laster has urged area residents to stay vigilant, as well as to secure their doors and windows at night and when they are not home.

He further reminded residents to secure their car doors and to not leave valuables in plain view inside vehicles.

"Be observant in and around your neighborhoods. If you notice anything you feel is out of the ordinary or suspicious, please don't hesitate to contact MPD to report it," Laster wrote on Facebook. "We want all residents of Montague to be safe."

Obama on Saturday made clear that he will continue to speak out about the need to tighten access to guns in the United States, steps the Republican-controlled Congress has refused to go along with.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Saturday rejected the notion that this week's stunning violence is a signal that the U.S. has returned to some of the darkest days of its past, saying that as painful as the killings of police and black men were, "America is not as divided as some have suggested."

"Americans of all races and all backgrounds are rightly outraged by the inexcusable attacks on police, whether it's in Dallas or anyplace else," Obama said from Warsaw, Poland, where he attended a NATO summit.

"That includes protesters. It includes family members who have grave concerns about police conduct and they've said that this is unacceptable," Obama added. "There's no division there."

The comments marked the third time in as many days that Obama has spoken, from a distance, about the police-involved fatal shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota that were immediately followed by a sniper attack in Dallas that killed five police officers Thursday night. Seven officers and two civilians were also injured.

"This has been a tough week," the president said.

Obama said the Dallas shooter, an Army veteran who was later killed by police, was a "demented individual" who does not represent black Americans, any more than a white man accused of killing blacks at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, represents whites.

Obama said he would visit Dallas "in a few days" to pay respects and mourn with the stricken Texas city.

He said that while "there is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion" about how the U.S. moves forward, "there's unity in recognizing that this is not how we want our communities to operate. This is not who we want to be as Americans and that serves as the basis for us being able to move forward in a constructive and positive way."

"So we cannot let the actions of a few define all of us," Obama said.

The Dallas attack layered new anxiety onto a nation already divided about guns and how police treat African-Americans.

The black Army veteran who carried out the sniper slayings donned a protective vest and used a military-style semi-automatic rifle, officials said.

The president said he planned to convene a White House meeting next week with police officers, community and civil rights activists and other to talk about next steps. He said the "empathy and understanding" that Americans have shown in responding to the events of the past few days, including Dallas police officers as they came under attack, had given him hope.

"That's the spirit that we all need to embrace. That's the spirit that I want to build on," Obama said.

But Obama made clear that he will continue to speak out about the need to tighten access to guns in the United States, steps the Republican-controlled Congress has refused to go along with.

Obama says the proliferation of guns is part of the broader tensions that sometimes arise between police departments and the communities they serve. He says police officers at times have very little margin for error in making decisions because guns are so plentiful.

"I am going to keep on talking about the fact that we cannot eliminate all racial tension in our country overnight," he said. "We are not going to be able to identify, ahead of time, and eliminate every madman or troubled individual who might want to do harm against innocent people. But we can make it harder for them to do so."

A squirrel is to blame for an afternoon fire that damaged an East Longmeadow High School heating unit Saturday, fire officials have reported.

EAST LONGMEADOW ‒ A squirrel is to blame for an afternoon fire that damaged an East Longmeadow High School heating unit Saturday, fire officials have reported.

Emergency crews responded to reports of a fire in a first floor classroom heating unit around 12:20 p.m.

Lt. Brian Daponde attributed the electrical fire to a squirrel-related power glitch, which caused a heating unit located in room 123 to spark and give off smoke.

The school only suffered damage to the heating unit, Daponde said, adding that firefighters had to ventilate the classroom after extinguishing the fire.

Although no one was injured in the incident, the squirrel was not so lucky, he said.

The tournament at Blunt Park featured seven-on-seven games, called sevens, as opposed to the more typical 15-on-15. Sevens are played at a faster pace with more passing and fewer big tackles. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Rugby Football Club marked a milestone Saturday with its 25th annual Eric White Memorial Rugby Tournament, bringing together dozens of teams from all over New England to face off on the pitch.

The tournament at Blunt Park featured men's and women's seven-on-seven games, called sevens, as opposed to the more typical 15-on-15. Sevens are played at a faster pace with more passing and fewer big tackles.

The popularity of rugby is growing in the United States, according to the club's president Bruce Adams, and it's unusual to see a tournament as old as this one.

"Not a lot of them are at this point in time. A lot of them are just starting out," said Adams. "We've been doing it for 25 years. ... It's a great achievement for us."

The tournament was sanctioned by USA Rugby, the sport's governing body, and the winners in different Geographical Unions across the country play against each other for a shot at the nationals. It was named in honor of Eric White, a longtime Springfield Rugby Club player and organizer who died in 2001.

Next year, rugby will be played at the high school level, thanks to a decision last year by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. It will also be featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, the first time the sport has been included in the Olympics since 1924.

Organizers of Saturday's tournament said it's a game for everyone, even those who don't know how to play yet.

"It takes all shapes and sizes to play rugby, and all sorts of different skills," said Adams. "Rugby has the contact of American football, the kicking of soccer, the sprinting of track, the accurate passing of basketball. It's a combination of all sports."

Amber DeGrandpre, the club's recruiting secretary and a 15s player, said the rugby community is like none other. After a game, it's common for players from both teams to go out drinking together, no matter what happens on the pitch.

"If you're looking for friends, this is the place to find them," said DeGrandpre.

Games are organized into age groups ranging from 17 years old to 35-plus. There were a total of 37 teams and more than 500 players at Blunt Park.

Results of the tournament will be released Saturday evening.

The festival at Emerson Wight Park, hosted by groups including the South End C3 Public Safety Initiative, featured music and dancing, a talent showcase, a basketball tournament and a pie eating contest, among other activities. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - Hundreds of people came together in the South End on Saturday for the second annual NeighborFest, a chance to have some fun, learn about support agencies and meet their neighbors.

The festival at Emerson Wight Park, hosted by groups including the South End Promotores and the South End C3 Public Safety Initiative, featured music and dancing, a talent showcase, a basketball tournament and a pie eating contest, among other activities.

The Springfield Police Department showed kids their motorcycles, the armored Tactical Operations vehicle and the Mobile Command Center, where parents could get their children fingerprinted. Kids could also sit in fire engines and check out an ambulance.

"One of our biggest goals is to build community, to bridge those gaps that sometimes exist in communities like ours, not just with each other, but also with police," said South End public safety coordinator Kelvin Molina. "It's about getting us to come together and celebrate."

Vendor booths featured information about Caring Health Center, ReGreen Springfield and WIC, and a few employers were on-hand to collect job applications. That part of the event was referred to as the resource fair.

"The resource fair has always been inspired by the needs of the community. We hear about all of the needs that the community has" and connect people with the services they need, said Molina.

Volunteers were tasked with introducing people to one another, helping to form friendships between neighbors.

Another major goal of NeighborFest is to continue the work of the police department, which is taking a community-based approach to policing. The C3 program puts officers in regular contact with the people they serve. Officers played soccer with children, showed them their cruisers and shared laughs.

Sgt. Brian G. Beliveau of the C3 South End Unit said police officers attend weekly community meetings as just one part of a broader collaboration with the neighborhood. Engaging with the public on a regular basis helps to build relationships and trust, he said.

"This is how it needs to be," said Beliveau. "We are a part of the community. We hate the idea of us being separate from them. ... We absolutely have their best interests at heart."

In the past, organizers have hosted movie nights, dances, soccer games and holiday parties. Molina said the neighborhood wants to come together, so they will continue to create opportunities.

If you want to get involved, visit the office at 806 Main St., find South End Promotores on social media, or call 413-342-4910.

A judge with ties to Western Massachusetts has announced she will represent the family of Philando Castile, the black man shot and killed by a police officer in Minnesota last week.

A judge with ties to Western Massachusetts has announced she will represent the family of Philando Castile, the black man shot and killed by a police officer in Minnesota last week.

Glenda Hatchett, of the Atlanta-based Hatchett Law Firm, will represent his family in all civil legal matters related to the traffic stop that resulted in his death.

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College in 1973, Hatchett went onto Emory University School of Law. She served for eight years as chief judge of the Juvenile Court of Fulton County, Georgia but left the position in 2000 to become the host of nationally syndicated television show Judge Hatchett. 

She announced her decision to represent the 32-year-old's family in a statement this week. "I am deeply concerned about what seems to be an epidemic of African-American men being killed by police officers," Hatchett said. "We have often seen demonstrations and debates and I raise the critical question, 'When will there be systemic reform?'"

Castile was in his car with his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter at the time of his death. His girlfriend recorded live-stream video after he was shot by a St. Paul police officer, reportedly while reaching for his wallet. 

Much still unknown about Philando Castile shooting; officials name Minnesota officer who killed him

Amanda Plasse, 20, was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in Chicopee. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Amanda Plasse will never again have the chance to put her face to the sun -- and neither should her killer, Plasse's mother told a Hampden Superior Court judge Tuesday.

Michelle Mathieson spoke Tuesday at the sentencing of Dennis Rosa-Roman, who was found guilty Friday of stabbing Plasse to death in 2011. 

In her statement to the court, Mathieson said she wanted to tell Judge Mark D. Mason more about her daughter.

"To know her was to love her," Mathieson said. "You would only have to meet her once and you were a forever friend. She would never forget you, nor would you forget her. Crazy curly hair, stunning green eyes, covered in tatoos -- her beautiful artwork."

Plasse, 20, was found dead on Aug. 26, 2011 in her School Street apartment in Chicopee. After the case remained unsolved for two years, Rosa-Roman was arrested in 2013. He spent 980 days in jail awaiting trial.

The Hampden Superior Court jury deliberated five hours after eight days of testimony in the case, returning a guilty verdict on a charge of first-degree murder.

During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell said Rosa-Roman had killed Plasse as part of an armed robbery of marijuana and her cellphone, plus her boyfriend's knife.

The defendant's DNA was found under Plasse's fingernails, his palm print was found on a broken porch window and footprints matching his size 7 youth sneaker were found in blood next to her body.

Defense lawyer Donald Frank acknowledged that his client witnessed Plasse's death, but said another man, described as Rosa-Roman's drug dealer, was the killer. Rosa-Roman refused to identify the man out of fear for his and his family's safety, Frank said.

A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. Because there was no need for a sentencing argument, the sentencing session served as a time when Mason could hear about Plasse.

Mathieson told Mason her daughter was never at a loss for comforting words, a smile, a hug.

"She would stop and give you her jacket if she saw you in the cold. Wouldn't hesitate to hand over money for food if you were standing on the corner. It didn't faze her to pick out all the red gummy bears for a child's sundae while working a shift at Friendly's," Mathieson said.

"A life taken too soon, taken so tragically on August 26, 2011. The loss is felt every day. Whether it's a song, a sight , a thought. ... Something that is lived with everyday. The pain is unbearable. ...Minutes turned to hours, hours into days, days into months and months into years. Years that I have waited for some justice," she said, adding: "Years that her family and friends have stayed strong, have held onto one another, prayed, begged, pleaded for justice."

"There are no words for such a brutal loss of a beautiful life, beautiful person, free spirited soul," she said. 

Amanda's older sister, AimeeLee Plasse, put into words what it was like to tell her then-4-year-old son his aunt was gone.

When he got older, Plasse said it was time to tell him what happened. Through tears she explained the process to Mason.

She said to her son, "a man took Auntie Amanda's life. He killed her in her apartment."

Her son asked, "But why, mom?"

"To have to give him the harsh reality that, yes. People kill other people. And I can't tell him why. I have no answers as to why someone did it. Only that person knows, and it's up to only that person to explain why. I'll never have the answer for my son," Plasse said.

Wilson Mathieson, Amanda Plasse's stepfather, gave a statement thanking all the people involved in the case, saying the thanks was for "bringing justice to Amanda and the start of our closure process."

He thanked the District Attorney's Office, Bell and Assistant District Attorney Allison C. Yorlano, lead investigator State Police Sgt. Ronald Gibbons and all the troopers assigned to her case.

He also thanked detectives from the Chicopee Police Department, Lt. Eric Watson and Detective Scott Lynch.

He said the case's victim witness advocate, Jane Chevalier left her family while on vacation out of state to drive back prior to the guilty verdict to be with Michelle and himself.

Wilson Mathieson then thanked Mason for presiding over the case.

"I'll close by saying, every single person, that worked on Amanda's case, no matter how big or how small, you are outstanding individuals, in which Michelle and myself have the utmost respect for. Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts," he said.

The large courtroom was filled with family and friends of Amanda Plasse. Her brother Nicholas Plasse stood at the prosecution table with his family as they gave victim impact statements.

Rosa-Roman sat upright, in a sweatsuit, with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Frank said there is but one sentence, so he did not want to say anything.

Mason said the "unspeakable horror unbearable pain and unthinkable grief" the family suffered is something others, including himself, can't imagine.

"You all have my utmost respect for your strength and courage," he said.

What the court can do, he said, is "to bring justice to this case."

A judge in Philadelphia released the records more than two months after he wrote that the insurance company had evidence that a man claimed he told Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in 1976 that Jerry Sandusky had molested him.

MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- The settlements paid by Penn State over sex assault claims involving ex-assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky appeared to be very high, possibly as a result of the university's concern about publicity and a wish to resolve matters quickly, an outside expert found.

Lawyer Eric Anderson, who reviewed the cases during a dispute between Penn State and its insurer, also said the school "made little effort, if any, to verify the credibility of the claims of the individuals."

Penn State made $92 million in total payouts to settle 32 civil claims in the Sandusky sex molestation scandal.

Anderson's statements were contained in court documents unsealed Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Ken Feinberg, a lawyer who helped mediate claims against the school, told reporters last week it was "a very objective process" and none of the cases were easy to resolve. He said Penn State was diligent in making sure the claims were backed up by sufficient proof.

In his report, Anderson, an expert on sex abuse settlements, said: "Generally speaking, it appears as though the amounts of the settlement were high and in some cases extremely high."

He said he believed a component of punitive damages factored into the evaluations.

"Also present in the analytical process may have been a concern about publicity and a desire to resolve the matters very quickly," he said.

A judge in Philadelphia released the records more than two months after he wrote that the insurance company had evidence that a man claimed he told Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in 1976 that Jerry Sandusky had molested him.

Paterno, who died in 2012, said in an interview before his death that an assistant's report in 2001 of Sandusky attacking a boy in a team shower at the State College campus was the first he knew of such allegations against his longtime top assistant.

In the insurance case, Judge Gary Glazer earlier issued a ruling limiting the liability of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association Insurance Co. to pay claims by Penn State for abuse by Sandusky, a former assistant to the late coach Joe Paterno.

Sandusky, who was arrested in 2011, is serving 30 to 60 years on a 45-count child molestation conviction.

Lamontagne said he will only be available to assist constituents on weekends, but at-large councilors have agreed to assist when needed.

CHICOPEE -- City Councilor Adam D. Lamontagne is spending the next three weeks at Harvard University in Cambridge participating in a program called Senior Executives in State and Local Government.

The program, which runs from July 10 through 28, offers training in a variety of topics including leadership, negotiations, public-private partnerships, cooperative governance and behavioral decision-making, according to the university website.

Lamontagne, who works as a substitute teacher in West Springfield, has a bachelor's degree in political science from Westfield State University, and is enrolled in the master of public administration program at Westfield State.

"I consider it important to take advantage of the education and knowledge that I will obtain at Harvard's Kennedy School to better service our ward and city. I'm striving to institute long-term goals for our ward and city," Lamontagne said.

The program, run through the John F. Kennedy School of Government, will discuss real scenarios and problems and students will analyze solutions.

"In the last two weeks of the program, participants will work on their own and each other's cases based on actual challenges in their organizations. This activity serves to bridge the gap between conceptual learning and real-life experience," the website said.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse attended the first session of the program offered in June.

Lamontagne said he made a commitment during his campaign when he was running for City Council in Ward 1 to improve the neighborhoods and the standards of the council. He said he believes by improving his education through the intensive leadership program it will help meet that goal.

He is planning to stay in Boston during the session and will only be available on weekends to assist constituents.

"I have made it my highest priority to be available to all my constituents any time of the day or night and to return all phone calls within four hours," Lamontagne said.

At-large councilors James K. Tillotson, Robert J. Zygarowski and Gerard Roy have agreed to step in and assist Ward 1 residents when Lamontagne is not available, he said.

The Williamsburg firefighters report their station is being used as a "gym" or gatheirng point in the mobile game.

A screenshot of the game posted to Facebook by the Williamsburg Fire Department.Screenshot / Niantic Labs

WILLIAMSBURG -- The fire department, reporting that its station apparently being used as a gathering point in the Pokemon Go mobile game, ask players to be mindful that emergency personnel may need to quickly depart from there at all hours of the day.

The station, according to a post on the police and fire department's Facebook page, has been designated as what's known in the parlance of the game as a "gym."

"Although we don't understand exactly what this means, we do request that you show respect to the station and our neighbors and realize an emergency can happen at all times of the day," the post states. "We request you be vigilant of your surroundings and keep an eye out for responding personnel."

Gyms are places are where players can train and fight the game's digital characters.

Longmeadow police weighed in on the game craze yesterday when they warned that it has the potential to put unmindful players into potentially dangerous situations.

Williamsburg firefighters concluded their post by putting in a plug for the department's junior firefighter program for boys and girls ages 15 to 18.

"If you feel inclined to be a real life hero and hang out at the fire station why not join the department?"

Screenshot / Niantic Labs 

A Black Lives Matter rally and protest was held at Springfield City Hall on Monday, July 11. The group then marched up State Street to the Federal Courthouse.

Denise Jordan, who serves as chief of staff to Mayor Domenic Sarno, is among 100 women invited to take part in a leadership conference featuring black women who are leaders in their communities and regions.

Denise JordanSubmitted photo 

SPRINGFIELD -- Denise Jordan, who serves as chief of staff to Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, is slated to participate in the #BlackWomenLead100 leadership conference on Tuesday night, July 12, in Boston.

Jordan is among 100 women formally invited to take part in the conference at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute's replica of the U.S. Senate chamber.

The event begins at 6 p.m., and will include a photograph of the 100 women taking their seats, according to a news release. The photograph is a symbolic event as there are no black women currently serving in the U.S. Senate.

The leadership conference by #BlackWomenLead100 was spearheaded by Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley and Higher Heights for America, a national organization dedicated to strengthening opportunities for black women in politics at all levels, according to an announcement of Jordan's selection.

Sarno praised Jordan's participation.

"I am not surprised," Sarno said in a statement. "Denise has been a well-respected leader not only here in Springfield, but also in our Commonwealth. She's done an outstanding job for our city and has been a great partner to me too."

Although Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton came together Tuesday in a show of unity, some backers of the two White House hopefuls hinted that they're not quite ready to join forces.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. ‒ Although Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton came together Tuesday in a show of unity, some backers of the two White House hopefuls hinted that they're not quite ready to join forces.

More than 1,000 supporters who crowded Portsmouth High School's gym offered different takes on the Democratic rivals' first joint rally of the campaign season -- an event which came weeks ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Gina Razete, from Fort Meyers, Florida, said she was happy to see Sanders join Clinton on the campaign trail - particularly as she was on vacation in New England.

"I think it's wonderful," she said. "I'm so glad his supporters are here and they've had an opportunity to get together, the two campaigns, and talk about things and involve the Bernie Sanders people, which is so important because he obviously had a message that resonated with a lot of people."

Cathy Groene, also of Fort Meyers, said she was "surprised (Sanders) hasn't done it sooner."

Razete added that she believes most of the Vermont senator's supporters will line up behind Clinton.

"There will always be a few here and there that don't, but I don't think inaction is the right way to do it," she said. "If they really don't want Hillary, they should vote for Trump or vote for Gary Johnson."

Pat Colon, of East Burke, Vermont, however, said she doesn't plan to throw her support behind the former first lady -- even if Sanders asks her to do so.

"Everybody's saying well he's going to endorse Hillary - I don't want to hear it," she said. "If he should do that and he asks us today to vote for Hillary, I'm not doing it. I'm writing him in."

Colon, who drove three hours to attend the joint rally, called Sanders a "once in a lifetime" candidate and argued that he is stronger alone than with Clinton.

"I'll be damned if I'm not going to vote for him," she said.

David Weeda, a Sanders DNC delegate from Bucksport, Maine, said while he's open to the idea of supporting Clinton, his full support lies behind the Vermont senator.

"I'm open to whatever is going to happen for the best of the country and the world that I want to see happen," he said. "And I still have great hopes for Bernie Sanders, what we can do between now through November."

He added that Sanders' is the first candidate in his adult life that he feels "speaks the truth to (his) heart, to values and hopes and dreams," he said.

Seth Berner, a Sanders DNC delegate from Portland, Maine, also said he still has "very strong support" for the Vermont senator, adding that it would find it difficult to support Clinton.

"He has very, very important messages and a different approach to governance -- I think that the country would be better off under his values and his approach to the governance, but I would see what the campaign has to say and see what there is still left for me to work on," he said.

Berner offered that he's open "so some possibilities but those possibilities are going to have to include Bernie Sanders in a significant role," like a vice president.

Robin Deon, a self-described Donald Trump supporter from Exeter, New Hampshire, meanwhile, attributed Sanders' appearance to what she called "a Clinton payoff."

"I think Bernie won't have to worry for the rest of his life," she said, adding that she doesn't "have offense toward" him.

Deon, who held a sign protesting Clinton outside the rally, said she hopes the senator's appearance alongside the former first lady will have little impact on swaying his supporters.

"I'm hoping that a lot of his supporters, they're so angry about Hillary, I'm hoping that they'll lean the other way and go to Trump," she said.

In front of banners declaring "stronger together," Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders officially threw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton Tuesday and urged his backers to unite behind the presumptive nominee ahead of November. Watch video

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- In front of banners declaring "stronger together," Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders officially threw his support behind rival Hillary Clinton Tuesday and urged his backers to unite behind the presumptive nominee ahead of the November election.

The Vermont senator and former first lady, in their first joint campaign appearance of the 2016 cycle, called on supporters to join together against expected Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, stressing a message that the stakes could not be higher in the general election.

Sanders, who won New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary with 60 percent of the vote, urged supporters to back Clinton's bid for the White House and listed several policy areas where they are in agreement.

The joint rally -- the result of several meetings between the two campaigns -- came after Clinton adopted Sanders-backed proposals for health care and higher education and weeks ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Sanders, with Clinton by his side, offered his official endorsement to the former secretary of state, saying he will do whatever he can to ensure she is sent to the White House this fall.

"I have known Hillary for 25 years -- we were a bit younger then -- I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady is supposed to play. ... I served with her in the U.S. Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of our children," he said. "I know, and all of you know, her her as one of the most intelligent people we have ever met.

"Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her today."

Stressing that the 2016 campaign is about the future and addressing the serious crises facing Americans, Sanders further said he has no doubt "that as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that."

The Vermont senator touted his rival's support for increasing the federal minimum wage, moving toward universal health care and overhauling the criminal justice system -- comparing her policy positions to that of Trump.

Although Sanders acknowledged that he and the former secretary of state don't agree on everything, he is proud the two campaigns were able to come together to put forth the most progressive Democratic Party platform to date.

"Our job now is to see it implemented by a Democratic-controlled Senate, Democratic-controlled House and a Hillary Clinton presidency," he said.

Clinton thanked Sanders for his support, saying she's proud to be fighting alongside him.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am to be standing here with Sen. Sanders because I think both of us realize that each of our campaigns, together, represent the best of who we are," she told supporters. "And now it is time for us to take that message to the rest of the country."

The former first lady praised the senator's passion and advocacy, offering that while those traits haven't always made him popular in Washington D.C. they indicate he's "doing something right."

Clinton added that by "joining forces to defeat Donald Trump" and craft policies important to Democratic voters, she and Sanders can "build a future we can all believe in."

The former secretary of state offered that if sent to the White House, she will work toward achieving five policy goals: making the largest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II; making college debt free for all; cracking down on companies that ship jobs and profits overseas; ensuring Wall Street corporations and the rich pay "their fair share" in taxes; and responding to how Americans live and work in the 21st Century.

"We need to go big and we need to go bold, this isn't a time for half measures," she said.

Clinton further took aim at her expected GOP presidential rival, blasting Trump's tax plan and accusing him of using adjectives to avoid sharing the specifics of his policy proposals.

Sanders joined Clinton in blasting the billionaire businessman's policy stances. He further stressed that the election needs to be about bringing Americans together, not using rhetoric to divide them.

Trump fired back at the Democratic candidates, calling Sanders a "sellout" for backing his rival, whom he has deemed"Crooked Hilary."

Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton. He will endorse her today - fans angry!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016

"I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters," he added in a separate tweet. "They are not happy that he is selling out!"

Backers of the Vermont senator offered mixed feelings on his endorsement, with some saying they were open to backing Clinton and others saying they would never vote for the former first lady.

At New Hampshire rally, not all Bernie Sanders supporters are ready to support Hillary Clinton for president

Sanders previously told C-SPAN that while it didn't appear he would become the party's nominee, he hoped to shape the Democratic platform to represent the needs to working families, students and the environment, among other things.

Clinton was deemed the party's presumptive presidential nominee after winning support from the more than 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

Sewage and industrial wastewater polluted the Charles River and reputation, a linkage immortalized through the song “Dirty Water” by the Standells. But the Charles River Conservancy, a nonprofit, is proposing a permanent swimming area in the Charles.

Sewage and industrial wastewater polluted the Charles River and the waterway's reputation. The Standells' song "Dirty Water" forever linked them all together.

But the Charles River Conservancy, a nonprofit, says it's now the "cleanest urban river in America," and they're proposing a permanent swimming area in the Charles. The conservancy is aiming to make the Charles "the first urban river in the country to reintroduce swimming."

Last year the Environmental Protection Agency gave the river a "B+" for water quality.

"Due to decades and hundreds of millions of dollars of remediation, Boston and Cambridge are poised to set an example for other American cities by leading the country with a safe and innovative swimming facility that is accessible and beautiful," Renata von Tscharner, founder of the conservancy and its president, said in a statement.

"We want to challenge perceptions that the river is filled with dirty water," Von Tscharner said.

The conservancy commissioned a study to look at the feasibility of a permanent swimming area in the Charles River at North Point Park, close to the Museum of Science.

"Many cities around the country--and the world--are realizing how great an asset their urban waterfront can be and are investing in the protection, revitalization, and redesign of their waterways," the study says. "Many are focusing on developing opportunities for swimming in these urban rivers."

The conservancy regularly holds "Community Swims." The Charles River Swimming Club also has an annual One-Mile Swim Race, wich started in 2007, according to the conservancy.

Aiming to raise $25,000, the conservancy has launched a fundraising campaign in order to handle the costs of the permanent facility, including planning, designing and permitting its use, along with operation agreements with local landowners.

The fundraising campaign is available here: https://igg.me/at/swimthecharles

Obituaries from The Republican.

Dorothy Killam 

Dorothy M. (Ruebenstahl) Killam, 79, passed away on Monday. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She was employed as a paraprofessional in the Westfield School System for over 20 years, was an avid gardener, decorator and flea market enthusiast. She loved the beaches of Rhode Island and spent many summers there. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Dorothy Killam »

Some of the most dangerous criminals are often the ones released without supervision, according to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, which released a new report identifying which inmates in Massachusetts are most likely to reoffend.

Prisoners who are released to the community without any supervision in Massachusetts reoffend at higher rates than those who are released with supervision. Yet, some of the most dangerous criminals are often the ones released without supervision, according to information released Tuesday by the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

"There are a number of high risk folks who leave incarceration each year who don't have community supervision," said Katie Mosehauer, project manager for the Justice Center. "That's a real challenge, because we know supervision can really reduce recidivism."

The Council of State Governments is working with Massachusetts policymakers and criminal justice officials on a review of the state's criminal justice system. They are particularly looking for ways to reduce recidivism, which would both lower crime rates and save the state money.

Overall, the latest report found that within three years, 66 percent of county House of Corrections inmates were re-arraigned on a new crime, as were 57 percent of state Department of Correction inmates. Just under half (48 percent) of county inmates were convicted of a new crime, representing 4,510 inmates. In state prison, 38 percent of inmates, 915 people, were re-convicted.

Hampden County sheriff aims for reformed, not repeat offenders

There were some trends among those most likely to reoffend. Inmates with more extensive criminal histories were more likely to commit new crimes.

Age was also a factor, with younger inmates far more likely to commit new crimes. More than half of inmates age 18 to 24 were convicted and incarcerated again within three years. For inmates over 45, one-third or fewer were reconvicted and re-incarcerated. Young people are also more likely to serve longer sentences.

People guilty of property crimes were most likely to reoffend. Many of them had underlying factors that contributed to the crime -- for example, a problem with drug addiction could lead someone to steal to feed their habit.

People who reoffended were most likely to commit crimes that were similar to their earlier offense.

Rates of new convictions were significantly higher for those released without supervision. Inmates released without supervision were re-convicted at rates of 56 percent for county House of Correction inmates and 45 percent for state prison inmates. Those released with supervision were re-convicted at rates of 43 percent for county inmates and 33 percent for state inmates. (Some people under supervision were incarcerated again for non-criminal probation violations.)

Yet the report finds that inmates with higher risk, and those released from maximum security prisons, are also the inmates who are most likely to not get supervision.

A major reason is that more dangerous inmates are less likely to be granted parole. Additionally, around 20 percent of state prison inmates are given sentences that have no possibility of parole or probation. If an inmate does not get parole or probation, they max out their sentences and have no supervision upon release.

"Sentencing has a significant impact on who does and does not receive post release supervision, and decisions to require supervision are not based on an individual's recidivism risk or needs," the report finds.

Sheriff's Department lauds 36 percent drop in jail population in last decade

The report recommends focusing educational programs on inmates with high risks of reoffending and targeting programming to address factors that are likely to predict criminal behavior - such as anti-social beliefs, personalities or peers. Other issues related to supervision and analyzing an inmate's risk for recidivism are expected to be part of the discussion as the committee makes its recommendations for changes to the justice system.

"We see a number of opportunities to better target resources to help break that cycle of recidivism here in Massachusetts," Mosehauer said.